Domingo Venancio-Tapia, a 41-year-old Hispanic male, tragically lost his life on April 29, 2019, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Domingo was born on September 13, 1977, in Santa Maria Asuncion, Guerrero, Mexico. He was a cook at a local eatery and was survived by his wife Madeline, daughter Lyla, and his parents and brothers.
On the night of April 29, Domingo was at Restaurante Lempira on South Boulevard in Charlotte.
After exiting the restaurant, he was shot and killed directly in front of the establishment. The incident occurred around 10:54 p.m., and Domingo was pronounced dead at the scene by MEDIC.
Two teenagers, Juan Deras Escalante, 18, and Gerardo Lagunes, 17, were arrested in connection with Domingo's murder. The suspects had asked Domingo to purchase alcohol for them, and when he refused, they fired several shots into the restaurant, hitting Domingo. Gerardo was apprehended without incident on April 30, while Juan engaged in an eight-hour standoff with law enforcement before surrendering.
Juan was charged with murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and four counts of shooting into occupied property. Gerardo also faced murder charges and later pled guilty in connection with the crime. In February 2024, Juan was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder charge and received an additional 100-168 months for firing a gun into an occupied dwelling. Domingo's wife has since remarried, and his daughter continues to grow up without her father.
